When is it too cold to hunt coyotes?

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killinyotees

New member
When is it too cold to call at night for yotees? I went out last night and saw a couple , but tonight its going to be below zero and I'm wondering if they shift their activity toward the daytime when the weather gets that cold. (my bro just called me and said that they are out in the field now, and its only 1:00pm) What do you think? Is it worth it?
 
Its never to cold to hunt!!!!!!!
They will be out moving all day and night when it gets this cold.
They have to eat more to make energy to stay warm.
Plus it is a full moon and they always hunt the moon because they can see much better.
 
The critters can take it a LOT colder than I want to. I've killed them in every kind of condition, but if it's that cold...it really makes it miserable.
 
Well it's 9 degrees here right now in michigan. with wind chills of -11 below. And me and a couple of friends are heading out for a night of calling. Mostly for fox but we usually see a yote or two. I would have to agree, it's never too cold to hunt.
 
My eyes water real bad in any kind of cold wind and that makes my nose run and then I get snotsicles....I hate that! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

I can't say that our winters ever get real cold but I have called in 0 to 5 degrees here before. I am willing to bet you though that our 15 degree weather with a 20 mile an hour wind and high humidity feels about as cold as some of the northern low humidity sub zero weather.....not that it matters much but I thought I would just throw that out there for some of you Yankees that think it never gets cold down here. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Cold is a relative term. As said "it is never too cold to call" which I will amend and add except when it is. Gerald described 15 degree, high humidty & wind. Yep that can feel mighty chilly. Hunting in that is more controlled by the wind. But high humidity with a low temp can make one feel real cold!! Hey Gerald I'm not considered a "yankee" am I?

Just before x-mas I took my 6 year old grandson & his dad out to show them how to call a coyote. It was about 15 below with a breeze. SIL "saved" me from a charging coyote trying to slip in my back door which SIL & grandson were watching. Grandson was thrilled!! I've shot critters to 40 below, maybe colder but who bothers measuring then... Much colder and it is the hunter that has troubles! I hand call and yes we all know that close reeds freeze up but so do open reeds much below -20. Gun may not fire if not "winterized! Had a failure last week due to condensation in the chamber of all things! Wouldn't allow the bolt to lock!! Never mind sitting there for 30 minutes!

My conclusion is that temperatures do not matter if they are not unusual for the area. Hey I've hunted & seen critters at 45 below! Two nice wolves come to mind... If the hunter can handle it and stay still and keep calling they will come!
 
It has been stated before on a different form that coyotes do reduce their activity level during cold spells. its been very cold here in montana and the coyotes have all but shut down. when the cold snap breaks they will then become very active. I'm not real sure what to think of this but I think it dose have at least some merit. They are warm blooded critters and need food to keep warm but if they reduce their activity level to almost zero they really don't need much food to keep warm. This is food for thought so lets try and figure it oput.
 
Well fellas its 3:25 am and I just got back from hunting in 5-10 degree temperatures. Crystal clear night, west wind, and not a coyote in sight. I'm 45 minutes sw of Chicago and I think its true what the one guy said about coyotes slowing their activity down when unusually cold weather moves in.
Anyways,
Heres two more things I need input on.
1. Whats the proper way to winterize a gun?
2. Clear skies vs. Overcast. Which one produces more consistently.
Thanks
 
Well we went out last night, and to really make a long story short. It was cold and windy most of the night. The full moon didn't help at all. Never liked hunting when the moon is full. Around mid-night the wind slowed down and it became overcast and started snowing. We decided to make another stand, and managed to take one red fox. It was cold and miserable, but it's always good to be out hunting anyways.
 
the best way to winterize a gun I know of is to never let the barrell cool keep on shooting, but then I don't know much about it either.
 
its not too cold they were moving on the coldest night we've had in michigan this year which was jan 6 . i called some in and saw a fresh road kill on the freeway
 
Actually John, I think deserving the label Yankee has more to do with a frame of mind or an attitude rather than where you live. If you think you are one and act like one then I quess you would be one. Since I don't know you I will assume your a good ol southern boy just living somewhere else. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I don't see how you guys manage it up there in that kind of cold. You must be tougher than leather.
 
GS,

Like we have a choice? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

It's got nuttin' to do with being tough. It's cold, we want to go hunting so we bundle up and go.

But, it is fun having you southern boys up here to hunt with me. Those folks I had up from S. Texas were pretty funny when we started walking across a frozen lake to our next calling spot. We got part way across, I was walking in front of them and I heard one whisper to the other one, "I think we're walking on water!"

I casually turned around and said our next stand we wouldn't have to walk to far because we'd just drive across the lake. The look on their faces was priceless.

But, it wasn't long and they were scheming a way to get back at me. I guess now that I made them walk on a lake, I have to stick a pig with a knife when I go down there next winter. We'll see.

Randy
 
Gerald - Does being born in southern kalifornia count or would you rather just not comment!!

Oh and you did send me a hat many years ago because I was a "testee" on your new web site. Grandson swiped it!! So its a couple generations removed now. I think it is sitting in Chitna!

No we are not tough! Fools maybe be tough!..Randy may have explained it best.
 
It's too cold to hunt when the snotsicles have frozen moustache to beard so I can't open mouth to blow on call.It aint happened yet!Got out late Sat. afternoon,made 2 stands had a yote come in to second but didn't get a shot.Temp was -23 with -36 windchill.Thats Celsious here in the GWN,but I beleive -35C converts to about -25F.GS,don't worry 'bout walkin' on water,sum of the shallow lakes/ponds will be froze to the bottom here soon.Keepin' the woodstove stoked,Grinr /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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